Beyond the Incident: Investigation and Intervention in Complex Domestic Violence Cases
Virginia Beach, Virginia
November 17, 2026, from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Check-in begins at 8:00 am
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for "Beyond the Incident: Investigation and Intervention in Complex Domestic Violence Cases.”
Participant Registration and Cost: This training is free. Participants need to register in advance for the training. Please visit here to register.
Session Description
Domestic violence cases are not always what they first appear to be. Visible injuries, conflicting accounts, a victim’s use of force, or the status of the alleged offender can complicate decisions about arrest, investigation, prosecution, safety, and accountability.
This session looks beyond the incident itself to understand domestic violence through the broader context of pattern, purpose, danger, and power. Using a case-based approach, participants will explore predominant physical aggressor determination, self-defense and protective resistance, nonfatal strangulation, and the additional challenges that arise when the alleged offender is a law enforcement officer. The session also highlights how assumptions, incomplete information, institutional relationships, access to weapons, and offender knowledge of the criminal justice system can affect both victim safety and system response.
Participants will leave with a practical framework for recognizing hidden danger, gathering information that shifts case assessment, and making more informed decisions across disciplines.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the predominant physical aggressor in a domestic violence case.
- Recognize signs and risks of nonfatal strangulation.
- Identify special safety and accountability concerns when the alleged offender is a law enforcement officer.
Presenter
Sergeant Denise Jones, Clark County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office: Sergeant Jones has worked in law enforcement for more than 24 years. She is currently a victim services sergeant within the Clark County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Investigations Division. She began her career in January 2000 with the Montgomery County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office and came to the CCSO in 2007. She has served in multiple divisions, including Corrections, Court Services, and Road Patrol. Sergeant Jones was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2015, serving as a supervisor in both the Jail and Road Patrol Divisions. She works primarily with intimate partner crime, such as stalking, domestic violence, strangulation, and protection order violations, in addition to conducting internal investigations, training, and orientation. Sergeant Jones has been engaged in changing the department’s culture, the department’s response to intimate partner crime and establishing new policies and procedures about issues within the minority populations of the community and intimate partner crime. Sergeant Jones has been awarded the “Best of the Best,” the Meritorious Service, and the Outstanding Performance Awards. Sergeant Jones has served on the honor guard for sixteen years, including serving as the honor guard commander. Sergeant Jones served in the United States Army and the Ohio Army National Guard for six years. She attended Sinclair Community College, where she obtained her Ohio Peace Officers Training Certificate and her associate’s degree in applied science. She has continued her education throughout her tenure at the CCSO. She earned a master of science degree in criminal justice administration and a master of science degree in emergency services management. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security from Columbia Southern University.
Partial In-Service Credit: This course is approved for Partial In-Service Credit (PIC) for law enforcement.
For questions, please contact Tricia Everetts, DCJS Victims Services Training and Communication Coordinator, at tricia.everetts@dcjs.virginia.gov.